Anchor for well equipment



NOV. 10, 1953 J 5, PAGE 2,658,459

ANCHOR FOR WELL EQUIPMENT Filed May 17, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l filial-we r Nov. 10, 1953 J. 5. PAGE ANCHOR FOR WELL EQUIPMENT Filed May 17, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [91 5 lg, Z

Patented Nov. ll), 1953 awaits ANCHOR- FOR VZELL EQUIPMENT Application May 17, 1948, Serial No. 27,384

13 Claims.

it This invention is concerned with an anchor for well equipment, it being a general object of the invention to provide an anchor effective to handle one or more well elements such as tubular elements carried in a well casing, or the like.

Oil wells, when completed, are commonly equipped with tubing extending through the well casing to a pump, or like apparatus, located in the well and in some cases more than one element or pipe is arranged within a single well casing. When the latter condition prevails ordinary anchors such as are used on a single well element cannot be used.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an anchor for a well element such as a well tubing, or the like, which is of simple, effective, improved construction. The anchor provided by the present invention involves a few simple easily manufactured parts that are readily assembled into a simple, compact tool.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a well anchor of the general char acter referred to involving a simplified and improved form of operating means for casing gripping shoes that are included in the anchor.

A further object of the invention is to provide an anchor of the general character referred to involving a simplified and improved construction retaining the movable shoes in connection with the body of the anchor.

It is another object of the invention to provide an anchor of the general character referred to wherein there are relatively movable or shiftable casing engaging shoes one of which is fixed or stationary on the body of the anchor while the others shift relative to the body.

It is another object of the invention to provide an anchor of the general character referred to effective for handling or accommodating a plurality of well elements extending through a well casing, Or the like. With the construction provided by this invention the well may be equipped with two parallel well elements such as a tubing and a pipe, or the like, and the anchor is such as to eiiectively accommodate both of these elements.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of typical preferred forms and applications of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a typical well construction, showing a tubing extending through a casing and showing an anchor embodying the present invention included in or engaged with the tubing to anchor it in the casing. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the anchor provided by the present invention showing a portion thereof broken away to appear in section. Fig. 3 is a detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 1-4 on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view illustrating a well construction wherein there is a pump located in the well and coupled with elements within a well casing, one of which is a tubing and the other a smaller element that may be termed a pipe, an anchor embodying the present invention being shown in connection with the tubing and pipe. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 6-6 on Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by line 5 on Fig. 6, showing the mechanism unactuated and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a portion of the body of the anchor showing one of the guides thereof and showing a shoe operating piston in process of being engaged for insertion into or removal from its cylinder.

Referring first to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to i, inclusive, the anchor embodying the present invention is shown applied to or incorporated in a tubing T extending into a well through a casing C. A well screen S is shown at the lower end of the tubing and a suitable head H is shown at the upper end of the tubing. The anchor provided by the present invention is shown applied to or inserted in the tubing '1 at a suitable point and is such as to engage the casing C in a manner to secure or anchor the tubing therein.

The anchor embodying the present invention involves, generally, a [body A having guides H] thereon, shoes B carried by the body through the guides l9, retainers D holding the shoes on the body for limited radial movement, means E normally yieldingly holding the shoes in an in or retracted position, and operating means F acting to operate the shoes into engagement with the casing C.

The body A of the anchor is an elongate tubular member and with the construction provided by the present invention it can be advantageously formed 01 a single or integral body of material. The body is provided with a longitudinal opening H which, in this form of the invention, is centrally located in the body. The opening H is in communication with upper and lower sections l2 and it respectively, of the tubing T to which the body is suitably connected. The ends of the body A are shown threaded and suitable 3 couplers M are provided to join the ends of the body to the tubing sections. When the body A is joined to or assembled with the tubing sections l2 and I3 it is, in effect, a part of the tubing and the opening I l freely conducts fluid handled by the tubing.

In the particular form of the invention illustrated the anchor involves a plurality of relatively movable casing engaging shoes B each of which is shiftable relative to the body A. In this case the body is provided with a plurality of shoe guides It there being a shoe guide for each of the several shoes. In the form shown there are three circumferentially spaced shoes B and therefore the body A is provided with three circumferentially spaced guides I ll.

Each guide it] is in the nature of a projection on the exterior of body A and it extends lengthwise of the body. The guides may vary widely in form and construction. However, it is preferred that they be of simple form and in the case illustrated each guide involves a flat outwardly facing bottom and opposed parallel sides 2| projected outwardly from the bottom. The sides and bottom cooperate to form a longitudinal outwardl opening groove or channel slida-bly receiving a shoe B. The guide projections are preferably confined to the middle or intermediate portion of the body A and have flat parallel radially disposed upper and lower ends 22.

In the form of the invention being described the several shoes B are alike and each is an elongate member carried by or in a guide of the body and has an inner face opposing the bottom 20 of the guide and an outer face 25 that may be curved or fashioned to suitably fit or engage the interior of the Well casing C. In the form under consideration the exteriors or outer faces 26 of the several shoes are roughened by means of teeth so that they have effective gripping engagement with the casing when the anchor is operated or set. Heads 2'i are provided on the ends of each shoe to engage or overlie the ends 22 of th guide that supports the shoe. Through this construction th shoe is free to slide radially of the body but is eifectively held against axial movement relative thereto.

The retainers D are carried by the body A and engage the shoes to retain them in proper position relative to the guides and for limited radial movement relative to the body. In th preferred form of the invention the retainers are in the nature of collars on the end portions of the body A and they have opposed axially projecting lips 30 which overlie axially projecting end portions 3| of the shoes. It will be observed from the drawings that there is clearance between the retaining lips 30 and the end projections 3i of the shoes sufficient to allow for movement of the shoes from retracted positions clear of the casing to extended positions in engagement with the casing.

The retaining collars ar suitably secured to the body A against rotation and also against axial shifting. In the particular case illustrated each retaining collar is held against rotation on the body by a suitable key 33 and is confined against axial movement by a lock ring 32. The lock rings 32 are shown threaded on the end portions of the body.

The means E normally yieldingly holding the shoes in the in or collapsed position preferably involves yielding or resilient elements acting between the retaining collars and the shoes. In

the form of the invention illustrated the members or elements 46 are blocks or bodies of resilient material such as rubber carried in the channels M in the retaining lips 35. The rubber blocks are arranged and proportioned so that they normally yieldingly hold the shoes in where their faces 25 engage the bottoms 20 of the guideways.

The operating means F for actuating the shoes into engagement with the casing C involves a o plurality of pistons 50 carried in cylinders 5| provided in the body A and engaging the shoes B. In the particular case illustrated there are two cylinders 50 for each shoe, the cylinders being arranged radially in the body A to open outwardly at the bottoms of the guideways. In the particular case under consideration the cylinders extend inwardly to communicate with the opening I I through the body and at the inner ends of the cylinders there are stop shoulders 56 which limit inward movement of the pistons 50 in the cylinders.

The pistons are slidably carried in the cylinders and their outer ends abut or engage the inner faces 25 of the shoes. In the preferred form of the invention a suitable sealing means or sealing ring is carried by each piston to provide a suitable fluid tight seal of the piston in its cylinder. Further, it is preferred that a threaded socket 54 be provided in the outer end of each cylinder so that the cylinder ca be engaged and handled in the event it becomes necessary to apply force in order to properly manipulate it, as when the shoes are removed and the structure is being taken apart.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that in operation the body A is coupled in the tubing T to, in effect, serve as a portion or part thereof. When pressure is carried by the tubing, that is, when there is a head of fluid in the tubing that pressure is applied to the several pistons of the anchor and the shoes are consequently forced out into engagement with the casing C. It will be apparent that by suitable proportioning the parts or by providing a suitable number of operating pistons, the shoes may be forced out with any desired amount of pressure and in practice it is simple and practical to gain the desired pressure through a simple structure such as is illustrated in the drawings.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 of the drawings there is a tubing T extending into the well through the casing C to a fluid pressure actuated pump mechanism P and a second tubular string or pipe R extends through the casing from the head of the well to the pump. The anchor provided by the present invention is shown applied to or incorporated with the elements just referred to in a manner to effectively anchor one of the elements that extends through the casing. In the particular case illustrated the anchor serves to hold or anchor the tubing T and consequently it anchors the pump P. In this particular case the second element or pipe R is shown accommodated by the anchor but not joined thereto, since in this particular case it is desirable that there be some freedom of movement between the element R and the anchor.

In this form of the invention the body A carries a plurality of relatively movable casing engaging shoes B and in addition to having an opening I I communicating with the tubing T it has an opening 60 accommodating the second element R.

In this form of the invention there are three casing engaging shoes B circumferentially spaced around the body and although the shoes are movable relative to each other one of them shown at X is fixed relative to the body while the shoes at Y and Z are movable relative to each other and also relative to the body. Since the shoe B occurring at X is fixed relative to the body, it may be established by suitably shaping or forming a suitable projection or exterior portion El of the body as clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The shoes that occur at Y and Z may be substantially the same in form and construction as the shoes shown in Figs. 1 to 4, in which case each shoe is carried by a guideway which is in the nature of a projection on the exterior of the body and it is retained by retainer collars D which in turn are secured by lock rings 32.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. to 8, inclusive, the operating means F for the shoes occurring at Y and Z involves cylinders 51! extending inwardly from the bottoms 28 of the guideways but terminating before they reach the body opening H. Fluid conducting ports or extensions 65 of the cylinders are shown connecting the inner ends of the cylinders 51 with the opening i i.

In this form of the invention the opening H through the body A extends longitudinally of the body but instead of being centrally located therein it is laterally offset from the central axis of the body in the direction of or toward the fixed shoe that occurs at X. The opening til, provided in the body to accommodate the element R. which is shown as a pipe, is shown as a shoes at Y and Z be provided with teeth so that when the anchor is operated it establishesa firm grip or anchoring engagement in the casing C. It is to be observed that with the construction provided by the invention two members located within the casing are handled by the anchor, the

tubing T being anchored by the anchor while the pipe R is accommodated by the anchor.

Having described only typical preferred for-ms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An anchor for use in connection with two elements extending longitudinally through a well casing including, an elongate body with two laterally spaced longitudinal openings, coupling means connecting the body with one element with one opening in communication with said element, relatively movable shoes carried by the body engageable with the casing, one of the shoes being fixed against movement relat ve to the body and another being shiftable relative to the body, and fiuid pressure actuated means operating the last-mentioned shoe relative to the d 2. An anchor for use in connection with two elements extending longitudinally through a well casing including, an elongate body with two laterally spaced longitudinal openings, coupling means at the ends of the body connecting the body with one element with one opening in communication with said element, relatively movable shoes carried by the body engageable with the casing, one of the shoes having a smooth casing engaging face and being fixed against movement relative to the body and other shoes spaced apart around the body and movable laterally thereof, and fluid pressure actuated pistons carried .by the body and movable laterally thereof and operating said other shoes into engagement with the casing.

3. An anchor for use in connection with two elements extending longitudinally through a well casing including, an elongate body extending from one end to the other of the anchor and having two laterally spaced longitudinal openings, coupling means comiecting the body with one element with one opening in communication with said element, a casing engaging shoe fixed on the body, and relatively movable shoes carried by the body to move radially relative thereto and engageable with the casing, fluid pressure aotuated means adapted to operate the relatively movable shoes, the other opening receiving the other element and being located at the exterior of the body between shoes that are movable relative to each other and also relative to the body.

4. An anchor for use in connection with two elements extending longitudinally through a well casing including, an elongate body with two laterally spaced longitudinally openings, one a fluid handling opening extending continuously from one end to the other of the body, coupling means at the ends of the body connecting the body with one element with said one opening in communication with said element, the body having laterally disposed cylinder openings in communication with said fluid handling opening, relatively movable shoes carried by the body engageable with the casing, one of the shoes being fixed relative to the body and having a smooth casing engaging face, other shoes being spaced apart around the body and being movable relative thereto, and fluid pressure actuated pistons carried by the cylinder openings in the body to operate laterally of the body and engaging behind said other shoes to operate them into engagement with the casing, the other opening receiving the other element and being located between said other shoes said other shoes having toothed casing engaging faces.

5. An anchor including, an elongate body extending from one end to the other of the anchor, and three relatively movable shoes carried by the body and spaced circumferentially thereof, one shoe being fixed relative to the body and the other two being shiftable laterally relative to the body, fluid pressure actuated means adapted to operate the said other two shoes, there being an opening within the body and extending longitudinally of the body from one end to the other thereof and an opening at the exterior of the body and extending longitudinally of the body between the said other two shoes.

6. An anchor including, an elongate body extending from one end to the other of the body, and three relatively movable shoes carried by the body and spaced circumferentially thereof, one shoe being fixed relative to the body and the other two being shiftable laterally relative to the body, fluid pressure actuated means adapted to operate the said other two shoes, there being a fluid handling opening within and extending longitudinally of the body from one end to the other thereof and located adjacent and immediately inward of the first mentioned shoe and an outwardly opening channel in the exterior of the body and extending longitudinally of the body between the said other two shoes, said fluid pressure actuated means being supplied with fluid from the said fluid handling opening in the body.

7. An anchor including, an elongate body having circumferentially spaced longitudinal guides on its exterior and having spaced longitudinal openings through it the openings having longitudinal axes laterally spaced from the central longitudinal axis of the body, one of the openings being a fluid passage extending from one end to the other of the body, shoes carried by the guides, the body having laterally disposed cylinder openings therein communicating with the fiuid passage, and operating pistons for the shoes carried by the guides, the pistons being carried in the cylinder openings in the body, one of the shoes being fixed relative to the body and being adjacent the fluid passage, the other opening being an outwardly opening channel in the exterior of the body and being located between shoes that are shiftable relative to the body.

8. In combination, a well casing, two elements extending longitudinally through the casing, one having spaced sections and the other continuous, and an anchor having a body with a fluid passage through it, means at each end of the body coupling the body between the sections of the sectional element with the passage in communication with the sectional element, the body having lateral cylinder openings therein communicating with the fluid passage and having a side channel passing the continuous element, relatively movable shoes carried by the body and engaging the casing, one of the shoes being fixed relative to the body and being adjacent the said passage andother shoes being shiftable relative to the body, and fluid pressure actuated elements carried by the cylinder openings and engaged behind said other shoes to operate them into engagement with the casing.

9. An anchor adapted to be engaged in a well casing, said anchor including an elongate body having a longitudinal Opening therethrough which opening defines a fluid passage adapted to carry fluid under pressure, a first casing-engaging element at the outside of the body and having a predetermined working position fixed radially of said body, said first element being adapted to engage the interior of the casing at one side thereof and to establish the body in a predetermined position in the casing adjacent said casing side, and a second casing-engaging element carried by the body in a position fixed lengthwise of the body, and means to shift said second element laterally of the body in response to pressure of fluid in said passage and said second element being adapted to project from said body and engage the interior of the casing at a location circumferentially spaced from said casing side engaged by the first casing-engaging element.

10. An anchor as claimed in claim 9 wherein said first casing-engaging element is integral with said body.

11. An anchor adapted to be engaged in a well casing, said anchor including an elongate body having a longitudinal opening therethrough which opening defines a fluid passage adapted to carry fluid under pressure, a first casing-engaging element at the outside of the body and having a predetermined working position fixed radially of said body, said first element being adapted to engage the interior of said casing at one side thereof and to establish the body in a predetermined position in the casing adjacent said casing side, a plurality of other casing-engaging elements carried by the body in a position fixed lengthwise of the body, and means adapted to shift said other elements laterally of the body in response to pressure of fluid in said passage, said other elements being adapted to project from said body and to engage the interior of the casing at circumferentially spaced locations which are circumferentially spaced from said casing side engaged by the first casing-engaging element.

12. An anchor as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means includes a plurality of fluid pressure actuated members adapted to operate each of said other elements and spaced apart lengthwise of the body.

13. An anchor for use in connection with two fluid handling ducts extending longitudinally through a well casing including an elongate body with two laterally spaced longitudinal openings one of which forms a fluid passage adapted to carry fluid under pressure, coupling means adapted to connect the body with one of the ducts to establish the said passage in connection with said duct, the other opening in the body being a channel adapted to carry the other duct, a first casing-engaging element at the outside of the body and having a predetermined working position fixed radially of said body, said first element being adapted to engage the interior of the casing at one side thereof and. to establish the body in a predetermined position in the casing adjacent said casing side, and a second casingengaging element carried by the body in a position fixed lengthwise of the body, and means to shift said second element laterally of the body in response to pressure of fluid in said passage and said second element being adapted to project from said body and engage the interior of the casing at a location circumferentially spaced from said casing side engaged by the first casingengaging element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

